


Skylines

by OurDeal



Series: City Limits [3]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Body Image, Fluff and Angst, M/M, OOC, Occult Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, slight gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-04 16:37:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17308079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OurDeal/pseuds/OurDeal
Summary: After coming home from the hospital, Seth and Finn begin to work out the nuances of parenthood together.*Total work of fiction





	1. You Know It's Gonna Be A Long Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from 'The Mirror Never Lies' by the Butcher Babies
> 
> Ó mo ghrá beag= Oh my little love

            Everything hurts for Seth—his body, his mind, and especially his soul. He hates being bedridden while healing from the incident in which his daughter came into the world. He hates everything, especially not being able to pick up his own daughter at night because he still can’t move much. He can tell that Finn’s exhausted—the worst part is that it’s been about two days since he came home from the hospital along with Aoife, who has been pretty much a quiet baby minus the night feedings. He feels awful for Finn…because he can’t move, Finn has to do everything in taking care of both him and their baby. Finn has to help Seth get everywhere—the bathroom, the living room, hell even the kitchen. Seth feels as if he’s lost his autonomy and Finn’s left to look after two babies. He feels Finn’s body flop down next to his, and he wants to scream at whatever is in charge for causing his pain. Seth hates seeing Finn like this—exhausted without anyone to help him. Seth’s fingers begin to card through Finn’s hair, and Finn turns his head so that he can face Seth.

            “I’m so sorry, babe. It’s not fair to you—you’re practically being the nanny to two children, and this was not something that I wanted for us when we planned on having a baby.” Tears begin to run down Seth’s face, knowing that if his diaphragm moved as if he were to sob, a shooting pain will present itself between his hips. He wants to be able to tend to their daughter, and let Finn sleep through one night. It doesn’t help that Seth’s constantly waking up in the middle of the night in pain. He ends up waking Finn up because of how extreme the pain becomes. It always starts with a slight twinge that Seth can easily ignore, but it just ends up building until Seth is pretty much crying while half awake. He usually tries to just hold in the pain so he doesn’t wake up Finn, but Finn being Finn, he will wake up the slightest of sounds. Finn’s usually rolling over to his nightstand, where he already prepared a glass of water and a couple of the pain pills that Dr. Crowne prescribed. He also usually is reaching for the trash can on his side of the bed, knowing that if Seth ends up waking up, and tries to hide his pain, it will mean that he will be puking out his guts within the first five minutes.

            “It’s okay babe. I already knew what I signed up for when I asked for some time off. I waited for you to wake up for almost two whole weeks after the accident. I was scared to death about the possibility of losing you. I wasn’t ready for the possibility of raising our daughter without you…or returning to the road without you. Even worse, at one point, I swore I was going to end up alone. Aoife almost didn’t make it at one point, and you had bled out so much that they said that if you woke up, you would not be able to bounce back as fast as you usually do. By some weird happening, you and our baby pulled through, and that’s all I can really ask for.” Finn begins to cry, and he could care less if Seth is trying to wipe the tears from his face. He moves closer to Seth so that he can curl around the man he loves. Finn’s nose ends up in Seth’s hair. The smell of mint and honey wafts into Finn’s nose. It’s pleasant, and light, and he’s missed just being this close to Seth. He can finally hold Seth’s hand and not feel worried about moving a wire or a line.

            “I just wish I wasn’t in pain so I could help you, and I hate that everything has fallen on your shoulders. You’re literally playing my role and your role with our daughter, and I haven’t really gotten the chance to just be with you and her as a family. I’ve wanted to hold her and look at her while you have your chin on my shoulder, looking down at her in my arms. Of course, I’m happy that we’re both home, but I’ve pretty much seen her in passing. I haven’t even gotten to fully hold her because my body is so weak. I just want to lay her on my chest and let her hear my heart—the same one that she slept under for months.” Seth’s hand goes to cradle Finn’s face while Finn has more tears sliding down his face. He knew that this was not how he envisioned his first weeks home with their baby. Finn looks down at Seth’s clothed stomach before lifting the hem. A bandaged stomach greets his vision and he is placing one of his hands flat against the bandages. Knowing what lies beneath, he’s furious over why the love of his life will have a grotesque looking scar on his body for the rest of his life. Concentrating on the task at hand, Finn feels Seth’s pain waves go into his palm and up his veins. It feels as if his veins are now just one huge line to his heart, throbbing with each ounce of pain that he was taking through his hands. Finn realizes how severe the pain actually is—he now feels as if his body is being dragged down into the depths of the darkest part of the ocean. As he leans over to press his lips against Seth’s, the baby monitor activates, and he can hear the cries of their daughter through it. He smiles at Seth before lifting himself off the bed. He hates leaving Seth alone, even for a second. Making his way down the hall towards the other side of their house, Finn pushes the door open to a dimly lit room. Making his way to the source of the crying, Finn looks down to his daughter, who is crying in discomfort. Picking her up from her crib, Finn holds her against his chest.

            “Ó mo ghrá beag, what’s wrong? Did you miss papa?” Feeling her diaper, he can tell that it’s a little heavier than usual, telling him that she was due for a diaper change. Walking over to the changing station with Aoife in his arms, he lays her down on the little mattress on top of the changing table. She cries with fury at being left without her dad’s face in front of her or his warmth surrounding her. Reappearing quickly with a fresh diaper and wipes, he begins to change his daughter. He is very careful with her, making sure that she can see him at all times as he finished up. Throwing the used diaper in the trash compartment that’s built into the changing table, he then lifts Aoife off the padding of the changing table, pulling her close to his chest. Her tiny head lies at the junction of his neck and shoulder. Walking back to his shared room, Finn gets a small jolt of excitement—for the first time since Seth and Aoife came home, Seth is going to get the chance to hold his daughter in his arms. It’s what he and Seth imagined the first day home would be like.

            “Hey love, I think someone wants to see their papa.” Finn smiles at Seth, who looks like he’s ready to cry at the mention of his daughter. Seth has wanted this moment for a long time—to be able to sit with her on his chest, listening to the heart that would lull her to sleep every night. Finn ends up laying Aoife down in the middle of the bed, being sure that she wouldn’t fall off. He then pulls Seth up into a sitting position and felt a twinge of guilt run through him as Seth winced in pain for a second. Placing his lips against Seth’s, Finn reaches over to lift Aoife into his arms before placing her against Seth’s chest. Finn then lifts Seth’s left arm and places Seth’s open palm against Aoife’s back before placing his right arm and palm against Aoife’s bottom. For all the pain he’s felt, Seth wouldn’t change it for anyone. He has been living for this exact moment since finding out that he was expecting in the first place. Even if his arms feel like Jell-O, he will still hang on to his daughter with everything he has.

            “Finn…I-I don’t know what to do…” Seth breaks down at his own admission, and all Finn can do is wrap his arms around the man and hold him close. He sees little Aoife move her head before settling back down on Seth’s shoulder. Seth places a kiss on the top of the baby’s head while tears stream down his face. Finn wants to let Seth figure out what to do—he has a feeling that Seth already knows, but it’s more of him being in pain and being nervous that is preventing him from just picking up that instinct that all of the books talked about. Finn places another kiss on Seth’s temple and he holds it there for a minute, feeling his own tears make their way down from closed eyes. He leans in closer to whisper into Seth’s ear, trying to comfort him the best he can.

            “Babe, I know you know what to do. It’s okay, and I know you’re in pain and you’re scared but it’s okay. I’m here to help you figure this parenting thing out. I will never leave you behind and I can’t wait to see our daughter achieve milestones. I know that you still think that the circumstances of her birth are somehow your fault—and you’re wrong about that. You did everything right, and it was just a moment when a man decided that leading the police on a chase through residential streets was way better than just surrendering. Just look at her though—she’s perfect, Seth. She has ten little toes and ten little fingers. She has your eye shape and your hair color. She has my nose and her perfect little cupid bow lips. She’s perfect, Seth, perfect. You created the most perfect representation of our love for one another. You created her—and she slept in your stomach for thirty-four weeks! You loved her from the moment you found out about her—hell, if I remember correctly, you were so worried over her and so willing to give up wrestling just so she could continue to develop. You, Seth Rollins-Bálor, are amazing—you are just so awesome and I don’t have enough words to say how much I admire you. You dropped your title reign just so you could have her, and you didn’t care that you did either. Every day that I look at you, I always have to ask myself if you’re even real. I am so lucky that I get to wake up next to you, and share her with you. Of course, things are going to be hard right now, but you’ve been through so much and it’s the least I can do.” Seth is full-blown sobbing and Finn can’t help but cry with him. Every single word he just spoke in hushed whispers to his beloved weighs heavy in the air. Finn places one of his hands on top of the hand that covers Aoife’s back. He feels her shift under his hand, and he smiles to himself. Finally, being able to enjoy the little family he has created with Seth is all Finn ever wanted.


	2. I Try To Scream But Nothing Comes Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from 'Headspin' by Butcher Babies.

            Seth for his part is doing better than when he first came home. It’s been two weeks since coming home, and even though he is still bedridden, he is not in horrible pain anymore. For him, it’s more of a dull throb—one that doesn’t bother him as much as the severe pain did. Finding out that his spleen was able to be saved because the split was a minor one gave Seth some relief. If Dr. Crowne is correct, Seth will be able to feel back to his normal self in four weeks—even if his kidney was severed as well because they were able to get to him right away, he had a completely different outcome. He is even happier about his kidney—severed and causing much of the internal bleeding, the doctor was able to sew it back in place and stop the bleeding. Lips are pressed against his head and in looking up, his eyes meet with a reflective lake of blue.

            “Hey babe, I brought you some food. Hopefully, you’re hungry. How has Aoife been? Has she been sleeping all of this time?” Seth can’t help but smile down at the baby in his arms. She is a welcome weight on his chest to replace the drag of guilt in his heart. She is everything they ever dreamed of, and even if she was born early, they both knew that she was a fighter from the start. Settling down the food tray on the nightstand next to Seth, Finn moves to lie down, his hand ending up in Seth’s hair. He’s been wanting to just look at Seth and never let him go. He wishes that Seth was feeling better so that they could at least go out as a family. He’s also happy that even if Seth hasn’t gone outside yet, Finn was able to get him to start to walk—watching him in pain, Seth still had that face of determination through it all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            _“Take it easy, babe, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Finn’s arm is wrapped with Seth’s as he begins to guide him through the house. Dr. Crowne suggested that once he was feeling a little better, that it would be in his best interest to begin to walk again—something about not having Seth’s leg muscles atrophy. Step by step, Seth winces in pain at each one. To lift his foot is to send shooting waves of pain from his stomach to his back. He’s so sore, but he knows that if he wants to move on with his life then he would rather endure the pain for a bit. Finn’s hand ends up intertwined with his, and even though he’s out of breath and ends up leaning against the doorframe to their room, he still sees the one man who he would go to the ends of the galaxy for._

_“Finn, have ever told you how much I love you? I mean, I would go to the ends of the galaxy for you…hell, I’d even fight Bálor if it meant that I get to keep you with me. I am so happy that every day that I wake up, you’re right next to me and this life isn’t some dream that I’m living through—and you’re such a great performer. Every time I get to even just see you in the ring…even if it’s against me, I feel privileged. I am lucky that after it’s all said and done, and you and I get to share a life together.” Smiling at him, Seth looks right into Finn’s eyes and he can see all of the love that the man holds for him. Finn brings Seth’s hand to his lips before kissing each knuckle before leaning forward and capturing Seth’s lips. As Seth leans forward to get more of Finn, Finn’s arms wrap around his waist to hold him steady, and he ends up having his weight lean into his lover’s body. Seth is tired, but being on his feet brings another note of determination to his mind._

_“I want to show you something, Seth.” Finn smiles as Seth leans back to look him in the eyes. For Finn, he could never truly express how much he loves Seth, and how much awe he brings. To agree to start a small family with him—it still feels unreal to Finn. He knows that he’s told Seth every chance he’s gotten so far to just thank him for the gift of their daughter, but for Finn, he could never say it enough. As he takes Seth out of their room and into the short hallway, he lets Seth lean into him. Taking his steps with Seth, he can feel Seth working his hardest to make himself walk. It was even something else to see that determination etched into his face, that despite the pain and discomfort, Seth wanted to make himself better. Leading him into their daughter’s nursery, Seth nearly cries at the sight of it. He hasn’t had the pleasure of stepping into this room since before Aoife came into the world._

_“Wait…where did you find this?” Seth points out a new rocking chair that he knows was not part of the original nursery. Finn smiles as he leads Seth to the chair, letting him sit down. For a second, Seth closes his eyes, feeling his body sink into the memory foam of the cushions that line the chair. His bones ache as they begin to relax, and since it’s been a couple of days since arriving home from the hospital, he is still feeling the impact of the accident throughout his body. He feels Finn pressing his lips to his temple, and Seth looks up to see Finn leaning down to hold Aoife. Realizing that the rocking chair itself is more of a swing as Finn takes a seat next to him, Seth’s heart begins to ache with emotions._

_“I wanted it to have two seats so that we could spend time with her together. I also wanted to just see her be with you and be able to wrap my arm around you while she bonded with you.” Seth feels tears build up in his eyes while Finn does exactly what he has dreamed of since Seth and Aoife came home._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

            “I think I’m ready to at least try to go to the backyard—you know, enjoy the fresh air and let Aoife have her first taste of fresh air.” Smiling to himself, he decides to lay down Aoife on his lap, so he can get a better look at her. He notices that her eyes are open and looking at him as she lays in front of him. The bluest of blue look up at him, and he feels the earth shift from within his own body. While everything he had was for him, and only for him, it all changed when he met Finn. Now with Aoife in the picture, he knows that the only person—well other than Finn—that he will ever truly live for is staring up at him with unconditional love. A semblance of a smile graces her face and Seth’s breath gets caught in his chest. He hears Finn sniffle next to him and as he sees Finn shift to sit up, there are tears leaving the crystal blue eyes. Swept up in the moment, Seth leans forward to place a gentle kiss against Finn’s lips. Foreheads press together as they stare into each other’s eyes for a moment.

            “She is so beautiful and I can tell that she’s going to be strong. She has you as a great role model and I couldn’t ask for anyone else to be the parent of my child.” Finn’s lips press against his again, and a sigh leaves his body. As Finn gets off the bed so that he could help Seth get to his feet, all Seth wants to do is just bottle up this moment—make it his happy place when he is feeling down. He sees Finn’s arms reach down to pick up Aoife from his lap before reaching out his hand towards him. Swinging his legs to the edge of the bed, Seth takes Finn’s outstretched hand, feeling Finn’s strength as he is pulled up by said man. In one arm, Finn is holding their baby daughter, while the other wraps around Seth’s waist to help him balance. Making their way to the door that leads to the backyard from the laundry room, the late afternoon rays peeking through the leaves of the trees in his yard. There’s a bench against a strong Willow tree’s trunk with little tables on either side of it. That was one of the first selling points of their house when they first bought it. It was an idyllic little spot for them. The little flower garden that they planted in one corner of the yard blooms with roses of different kinds, and sometimes, Seth feels a jolt of joy from just looking at those flowers. _It was one of the first things we planted for ourselves—laying down our roots here, in a way._ Smiling to himself, Seth looks at Finn’s profile just to admire him for a minute.

            “You know something, Seth? I see ourselves in five years on this same bench, with the same roses, but you are watching from this bench holding our second child while I play with Aoife after a long day at school. She would have her hair in little pigtails and these cute little sandals that you bought her the week before. The cute summer dress that she loves so much ending up dirty with grass stains. Maybe you and I would be holding championships together—the titles wouldn’t matter to me so much as the fact that we would have championship reigns at the same time.” Finn’s grip on Aoife tightens a little as Seth reaches out to hold one of the hands that is holding their daughter. Seth smiles and nods, knowing that the dream that Finn has for their future—has always been the same one he’s been reaching for.


	3. The Wrong That I Keep Repeating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from Butcher Babies' 'Never Go Back'

            Twenty-one days since being let go from the hospital and Seth hasn’t felt this amazing in a while. He’s at the half-way point of his healing process and is only getting better day by day. After having Finn for two weeks straight, Seth finally decided that Finn needed a break for once. He sent him out to go to the performance center and get a work out in, go out with some friends, and relax for a while. He never wanted Finn to stress out as much as he did the first three weeks after bringing Aoife home. This time—this time is the first time that Seth is completely alone with their baby. A wave of nerves goes over him—excitement and fear bundled up together into one giant mess. Looking outside the window, Seth can see that it’s a nice day to go outside…not to the park, per se, but at least spend an afternoon outside, under the willow tree. A disruption in the calm calls him—a whimper followed by full-blown cry crackles through the baby monitor on his nightstand. Making his way as fast as he can through his house to the other end, Seth sighs and leans against the doorway of the nursery. Even though he’s halfway healed, his body is still dealing with the trauma of everything else. There’s a deep ache in his bones—one created by the car accident that forced his baby into the world before her time. It’s an ache that he knows will linger long past the diaper changing and late-night bottle feedings.

            “Hey sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Seth coos at his baby daughter as he lifts her into his arms. Feeling her weight in his arms makes him realize that everything he thought he never deserved was right there in front of him. It was just a matter of time and circumstances that fell into place. As he places Aoife’s tiny ear against his chest, he can feel her cries settle and her body calming down. He’s always scared when she cries too much—thinking that she’s going to throw herself into distress. He checks her diaper, figuring that if it wasn’t that then it had to be close to her feeding time. Looking at his phone screen, Seth realizes that his assumptions were right. Making sure that their baby was on a tight schedule was the hardest part of the whole thing. The worst part though—is not the fact that she’s on the schedule, but the fact that Finn is already getting two to four hours of sleep a night. Seth is not doing much better either, with his nightmares from the accident—which he refuses to tell Finn about. He always makes sure that if he wakes from one of those nightmares, that he hadn’t disturbed Finn’s sleep. For all of the things that Finn is willing to give up, Seth will not let him skip out on sleep.

            “Papa’s going to make you a bottle, and then we’re going to go outside and sit under papa’s favorite tree.” Seth smiles to himself, excited at the thought of just sitting with his baby under the willow tree. He barely gets any time with Aoife, so days like today are a welcomed change from routine. Being able to give Finn a break—to let Finn enjoy what he loves and misses the most without feeling guilt over it brings great joy to Seth. Making the bottle takes a little more effort than usual, with having Aoife in his arms. As he measures out the powdered formula to put in the bottle, he can feel Aoife lift her head off his chest. Taking a quick glance down, Aoife’s eyes are looking back up at him in wonder. He knows that her vision isn’t that good, but he thinks that maybe, just maybe, she could tell the difference between himself and Finn. Maybe it’s Seth’s heartbeat—only because it was the one that she lived under for so long. Seth still has those days in which he blames himself for his daughter’s early arrival, and even at the reassurance of Finn, he still finds it hard to not blame himself. In the moments of lull, he can’t help but go back into his head and sink himself further down into the black hole of his sadness. Shaking the bottle until the formula completely disperses before placing the said bottle into a warmer, Seth holds his daughter a little bit closer. If it’s not Finn reminding him that he is worth all of the joy that he is getting, then it’s Aoife with her curious gaze and affection towards him that brings him back from the darkest places. Making sure that the bottle is at the right temperature, he takes it, along with himself and Aoife to the backyard. There’s a slight breeze in the air as he makes his way to the trunk of the willow tree, where his favorite bench awaits him. Sitting down as the breeze moves the frail branches of the tree, Seth can’t help but look down at his daughter as she drinks from the bottle. He really notices how much hair Aoife has—what she was born with. Thinking back on the thirty-four weeks before she was born, he now sees how that would have affected him. He always did have trouble with heartburn after eating, and he just thought it was probably something that had acid…but no, if the studies are right, her hair could have caused the heartburn all along.

            “I’ve waited for you for such a long time, and sometimes I wish that you had been born a little later. I feel like it was my fault that you came too early, but your dad reminds me all of the time that it wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t help with what happened that day, and I was terrified of losing you. You gave me a panic attack, little girl, when you decided to stop moving all of the sudden. I was so worried about you that I didn’t realize that I was dying with you. I am just so lucky that despite the fact that the demon tries to scare me, that he was the one to save you and me. He was the one who made you a possibility—one that your dad and I wanted so badly. One day, you’ll meet your extended family. I know that Aunt Becky and Aunt Charlotte are dying to meet you, so are Uncle Roman and Uncle Dean.” Blue eyes look up at him with adoration, and he knows that she really can’t control her body yet, but he swears he sees her smile. Seth feels as if it’s a little too warm for Aoife to be wrapped up in a blanket. Unwrapping her from the little burrito that her blanket made her, he lays her down on his lap. Her light pink onesie with the _Raw_ women’s championship printed on the front, Seth can’t help but laugh. It would be like Finn to dress their daughter in that onesie. It’s kind of like a hint for their daughter and what they hope she can achieve in her future.

            “Daddy loves dressing you in cute onesies, doesn’t he? My little champion, you deserve having that belt around your tiny waist. You’ve already won your dad and me over, and I am pretty sure you won your aunts and uncles too. Maybe daddy and I can throw a little get together, where they finally get to meet you, hmm? I think that would be nice. We can get you a really cute onesie and you’ll be the loveliest at the whole party. How does that sound?” Seth smiles down at Aoife as he picks her up from his lap and places her in his arms. His right forearm supports her back, while his right-hand cradles her head. His left forearm and hand are supporting her legs and butt. Bringing her up to be face to face with him, he feels her tiny hand reach out for him. He places a kiss on a tiny open palm, knowing that this is the first time he’s been able to do such a thing. She reaches out again, managing to place her tiny hand into his trimmed beard. Her tiny legs begin to kick in excitement at the new feeling of Seth’s beard in her hand. Leaning down with her in his arms, Seth places a kiss on her forehead. She blinks up at him with her big blue eyes and looks at him with wonder. Her innocence stirs something in Seth’s chest. A feeling of guilt and sadness tries to consume him, but before he can get too far into his own head, the door of the laundry room to the back yard, the same laundry room that connects to the kitchen, opens and Finn is standing right across from him in the doorway. There’s a smile that graces Finn’s face, and Seth can’t help but have his heart beat a little faster. There’s something about Finn and the way he looks at Seth with fondness whenever he comes home from an outing—no matter how far or close. It’s almost like Finn is looking at him for the first time all over again. It always brings a chill down his back, knowing that the man he ended up marrying will never tire of him—and he knows for a fact that he would never tire of Finn. Finn makes his way towards Seth, sunglasses reflecting the midafternoon rays of the sun. Ending up right in front of Seth, Finn leans down to place a kiss on Seth’ lips before kissing Aoife on the forehead. To Finn, just seeing Seth sitting on the cushioned bench under the willow tree is the perfect vision of his family. Finn wants to lock the image of Seth holding Aoife under the tree into his mind for the rest of his life. It’s one of those moments that he’s happy that he was able to sneak a picture of Seth and Aoife with his phone from the window of the laundry room. He hopes that one day he’ll be able to take a similar picture—but with Aoife sitting next to Seth while he holds another baby in his arms. For him, Seth’s and Aoife’s happiness is what really matters. Finn would move stars if he could, just so that the two people that he loves the most could have whatever they wanted. Taking a seat right next to him, Finn’s lips end up pressed up against the side of Seth’s face.

            “Sometimes, I have to remind myself that you and she are real—and that I have the pleasure of sharing my life with both of you,” Finn whispered into Seth’s ear as one of his hands went to caress Seth’s face. Fingertips graze against the softest hair—Aoife’s dark brown hair fluttering lightly in the breeze. Seth turns his body towards him, and for once, he sees nothing but genuine happiness in Seth’s eyes. Lips end up pressing against each other, and brown eyes stare into blue ones. Foreheads touch and quiet whispers are exchanged between the two—whispers of hidden promises and declarations of love, all while Aoife sleeps in Seth’s arms.


	4. Before You Know It You're Part Of It All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from 'Monster's Ball' by Butcher Babies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kind of like a hard chapter to write, which IDK why it was. I knew where I wanted it to go, and it went completely sideways...anyway, enjoy.

             The party is in full swing by the time the sun begins to set. Seth and Finn’s friends are all excited about meeting Aoife for the first time—they have been waiting for this moment since before she was born. For Seth—for him, it’s more of a celebration at the fact that Aoife made it through her first month. It was rocky and difficult, and he feels guilty for making Finn go through it alone, but at the same time, he’s happy that she made it through. When the odds became stacked against her, she proved to everyone to not count her out. What helped, even more, was the fact that Finn—as kind and gracious as he is—was so patient with them both. While Aoife was getting used to the outside world, Seth was recovering from his surgery and the accident that unraveled their lives in the first place. His friends are all here, and it warms Seth’s heart to know that there really is a group of people who do care about him.

            “Hey hon, how has parenthood treated you so far?” Bayley’s voice rings out to him, his thoughts breaking while his eyes shift to look at her. He smiles at her and thinks— _Wow, who am I to have this pure ray of sunshine as a friend in my life?_ No matter how many times people tell him that they genuinely want to be his friend, his brain is still plagued by the intrusive thoughts of him not being good enough. He feels Aoife begin to stir in the sling that’s tied on to him. Looking down, he sees that Aoife is yawning before opening her eyes to look up at him.

            “Parenthood has been an insane journey so far. From worrying about this little lady not making it, to me almost not making it—and poor Finn, who had to take care of both of us the first few weeks. It’s been a tireless, unending journey so far but I wouldn’t change anything about it.” Bayley smiles at him, knowing what Finn went through—but she won’t tell him about the many sleepless nights Finn had while waiting for Seth to wake up. Or how he broke down completely one night in her arms as Seth had just gotten out of surgery the day before. Maybe one day—when Finn is ready, but now…now is not the time for that. The baby on Seth’s chest lets out a little whine, which pulls Seth’s attention. Bayley sees that fondness he has for his baby, and it’s crazy to think that before Finn and Seth got together—hell, before she and Sasha got together, that Finn was secretly sad all of the time. At the time that Finn and Seth began to see each other, she had already dealt with an emotionally deteriorating Finn.

            “I understand what you’re saying. I can tell just by the way you look at your baby that you adore them so much. That you wouldn’t let anything come in-between you and them. You guys did make a really cute baby though. She has your big doe eyes but they’re Finn’s color. She’s a perfect mix of you two.” Bayley smiles at him again before leaning in to hug him, knowing that Seth is going to become very busy very soon. As soon as Bayley takes her leave, Aoife begins to whimper inside the sling, knowing that she’s probably uncomfortable right now and just wants to be changed. Taking his leave quickly, Seth makes his way to the nursery, making sure to close the door before laying Aoife down on the changing table. Unwrapping her from the blanket she was in, her mermaid print onesie greets him.

            “Oh, my darling little princess, what’s wrong?” Unclipping the onesie before undoing the diaper, Seth knows he is in for the big one. The smell that greets him upon opening the used diaper is very nauseating. For a tiny human, she creates a lot of waste. Seth holds back his breath, trying not to inhale the stench as he quickly pulls a fresh diaper, along with wipes. Even after having her for four weeks already, Seth can’t get used to the smell of a used diaper. Knowing that if he feels uncomfortable with changing diapers, he can only imagine what his poor daughter feels when she has to be the one in them. She still has a hard time focusing on whoever happens to be talking to her, but little by little, Seth can see that she is beginning to focus more on the faces of the voices that she hears. She still has a long way to go, but even if she can’t truly smile, he can see her joy in her eyes with every time he talks to her. She has completely different reactions too when it comes to Seth and Finn. With Finn, she’ll curl up into herself and begin to chew on her fist, but she still gives Finn all of the love she has in her tiny body by the way that she looks at him. With Seth on the other hand, she will stretch herself out as much as she can, reflexively kicking her feet when he appears nearby. Seth believes that somehow, she still remembers his voice from her time in his stomach. He knows that when she’s really upset, all either he or Finn have to do is hold her close and have one of her ears pressed against their chest, so she can hear their heartbeat.

            “You know something, my sweet girl, papa doesn’t think he would have been able to get through the first few weeks with you here if daddy hadn’t been around. Maybe one day, I’ll explain to you how you were born, but for now, I’m just happy you’re in my arms. I still wish that you had a little more time before you were born. I was terrified the day that I had to go into the hospital to have you. Daddy was no better either—I felt so horrible because I thought it was my fault that I couldn’t keep you longer. I thought that because my body had failed you in keeping you safe, that it would be my fault if you didn’t make it. You became my everything from the moment I found out about you. Every kick and every turn I looked forward to because, at times, I felt sad and alone. You would move, and remind me that even if daddy was on the road, that I was never truly alone. He always called me every night that he was away, and he would always ask about you. It was something that I needed at the time, and you would always tell me, in your own way, to calm down when I got too anxious. When you were born, I was upset at the timing of it all. You weren’t ready and I ended up getting injured because someone was careless. I was afraid of leaving daddy alone—all I thought about was him and you, and what would happen if I didn’t make it. I was nervous for you, Aoife because you came early.” He feels tears make their way down his face and he furiously wipes them away before snapping the last closure on the onesie. Lifting her off the changing table, Seth holds her so that she is face to face with him. He places his lips against her forehead while she flails her little arms. Taking her with him to sit down on the double seat rocker, he places her back in the sling. He sees her move her head so that one of her ears is pressed against his chest. Placing his right arm over the sling to cradle her, his left-hand goes to pull back a part of the sling so he can see her better. She sighs as Seth begins to move so that the chair begins to rock back and forth.

            “Hey babe, I was wondering where you disappeared to.” Finn’s lips are on top of Seth’s head before fingers go to loosen the hair tie that holds his hair back from his face. Fingers push Seth’s hair back while Finn sits down next to Seth. One of his arms wraps around Seth’s shoulders before pulling him in close. His hand goes to cradle Seth’s face, and while Seth turns to look at him, Finn presses his lips against the other’s.

            “I think we should get back to the party—what kind of hosts would we be if we just disappeared for the rest of the night?” Seth smiles at Finn before standing up, making sure that he didn’t jostle Aoife too much. Finn stands up right next to him before wrapping an arm against Seth’s waist. Some days, Finn still misses the baby bump, but he knows it’s because their daughter made it into the world. Trekking back to the living room, eyes look at them for a quick second before going back to whatever they were doing. Charlotte meets with them halfway, smiling while she takes a quick look at Becky, who is talking to Sheamus.

            “So, is this the little princess I’ve heard so much about?” Charlotte takes a quick glance at Aoife, who is still inside her sling. He still gets chills up his spine when other people mention Aoife—only because he’s thought that everything he’s ever had was just in his head. That he’s been in some weird state of limbo for a while and no one wants to tell him. Finn has to remind him nightly that he’s real, and that Aoife’s real, and the love that Finn has for him is real too. He will always struggle with what happened, but knowing that other people recognize his daughter is the first step for him to break out of his own mind.

            “Yep, this is her. I still can’t believe that she’s made it this far. The odds were stacked against her, and yet, here she is.” Seth is holding back tears while his voice cracks at the last possible second. Finn pulls him close before kissing the side of Seth’s face. Since having Aoife and having the life or death scare, Finn has made it a point to show Seth every bit of affection he has in his body. Reservations be damned—knowing that he almost lost it all in one night, Finn would rather take Seth’s pain than ever experience the fear of almost losing both your other half and an unborn child. He really doesn’t like talking about it, but maybe one day he’ll tell Seth what really was going on in his mind the night that he almost lost it all. Placing another kiss against his face, Finn’s hand ends up holding Seth’s, sending all of his adoration through it. It’s what he always wanted, but never thought he would have needed.


	5. It's Time To Take Off The Masks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's about to get real. Chapter title comes from 'For The Fight' by Butcher Babies.

            Five weeks ago, he thought that his life was over—wrestling wasn’t as important as his love and his daughter. Five weeks ago, he thought he almost lost it all. He was frantic and scared, not knowing if the man he loved the most was even going to make it to see the next day, or if his daughter would make it into the world in the first place. It’s a painful memory that still haunts him to this day.

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_“Finn, you must listen to me for once! Seth has been in an accident and is in grave danger. You have to go to the hospital now for he and your baby are at risk of dying. I am trying my best to at least tell Seth myself that he will be okay.” He can hear the demon scratching at the back of his mind, but his brain is in overdrive after hearing the sound of metal on metal from the speaker of his phone. One moment, Seth is telling him about how he can’t wait to see him, and the next, there’s a loud bang followed by Seth’s frantic screaming. The line goes dead, and all Finn can do is sit on the bench in the locker room and cry. Pictures begin to flash behind his eyelids as he closes his eyes. Finn can see the exact moment in which everything went wrong. The bumper to passenger side door collision, and Seth’s car skidding sideways and flipping onto its roof. Worst of all, he can see Seth hanging upside down, the only thing holding him in his seat is the seatbelt. He can feel pain blooming in his stomach and he knows that the demon is giving him the exact same pain that Seth felt. He fees a headache coming on—Seth’s headache from hitting the steering wheel too hard and then having a glass piece of the windshield cutting him as the car settled on its roof._

_Being fully dressed, Finn spares no time to explain to the rest of the locker room as he runs out with his bags in tow. Running into Bayley in the hallway on the way out, she stops him and she can see that something’s really wrong._

_“Finn, what’s going on?” Her hands rest against his shoulders as she looks him right in the eyes. She can tell he is one minute away from a complete breakdown, so instead, she pulls him in for a hug. That is what does Finn in—he can no longer hold back his own pain and screams into Bayley’s shoulder as he holds on to her tightly. His body begins to shake with his sobbing while Bayley ends up running her fingers through his short hair._

_“I’m losing them, Bayley!” The sudden realization dawns on her, and she grabs Finn by his wrist as she practically breaks out into a sprint. Leading Finn through the hallway to the entrance of the parking garage, she is able to spot her car quickly. She has never been gladder to have a show within Orlando city limits. Shoving Finn into the passenger’s seat before getting herself into the driver’s seat, she shoves the key into the ignition. The rental roars to life while she is peeling out of the parking lot and onto the main road. She goes a little above the speed limit, trying to stay as calm as she can while Finn just has his face in his hands. He feels his anxiety taking over his body, and he can’t do anything to stop it. As Bayley pulls into the fire lane, Finn’s body goes into autopilot. Swinging the door open to the passenger’s side of the car, Finn jumps out, feet landing on the concrete before breaking into a sprint to the automatic doors of the hospital lobby. Running towards the front desk, he wants to cry, knowing that the people who mean the most to him are at risk._

_“Where is Dr. Crowne? I need to see my husband. He was in a car accident…” Just then Dr. Crowne is running towards the front desk. The receptionist gives her a knowing look while Dr. Crowne’s hand wraps around Finn’s wrist. She leads him into a private waiting room, knowing that at any moment, he is going to lose all composure._

_“Finn, Seth has been in a severe car accident. He should be coming in any second, but know that your daughter will be born today. We have no idea what we are going into, but I will be doing my best to save both of them.” Dr. Crowne feels guilty for having to tell Finn about what is about to happen but she knows it had to be done. After Aoife was unwillingly born, Dr. Crowne had to find the source of the bleeding, while at the same time having to look out for Seth’s baby. Finn on the other hand just broke down in Bayley’s arms, not knowing if Seth or Aoife would survive the night. Finn couldn’t even bring himself to leave Seth’s side, not knowing if or when he would wake up. At the same time, Finn also had a baby daughter that he worried about—who also happened to have a couple of close calls of her own. Every night after spending most of his afternoon with his daughter, Finn would just keep a vigil on Seth and wait for the moment that Seth opened his eyes._

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            “Babe, are you okay?” He feels Seth’s lips press against the side of his face while his thumb wipes away the trail of tears that are left behind. Finn’s chest feels heavy while his sobs wrack his body. He tries so hard not to remember that time—but it’s so hard not to. The morning rays peek through the blinds and Seth’s hair is a frizzy, ponytailed mess. Brown eyes stare at him with concern while a whimper breaks the silence. Seth shifts his gaze down to his arms; Finn’s eyes follow him and he realizes that Aoife has been in Seth’s arms the whole time. He watches as Seth brings Aoife face to face before smiling at her and kissing her forehead. Finn feels something—he can’t put a name to it, but he feels this inexplicable need to protect them. He wishes that he could wrap them both up in his arms and never let them get hurt again.

            “I’m sorry…I just keep going back to that day. I thought I almost lost the both of you. I was terrified—the worst part is that the demon was the one to tell me what happened. He flashed images in my mind...and I saw the car skidding across the road before flipping onto its roof. I saw you hanging upside down, only being held to your seat by the seatbelt. I felt your pain, and that night—the surgery freaked me out. I wasn’t allowed to be with you when Aoife was born, and you died on the table at some point but Dr. Crowne brought you back. Aoife at some point had stopped breathing and they had to put the tube down her throat so she could breathe—I felt like everything I had was just falling apart. There was one thing I was sure of—if you and Aoife would have both died that night, I would have died too. There is no Finn without you both. I kept hoping for that week and a half that you would open your eyes and you’d be okay. Then one day, while I just aimlessly talked to you, your eyes opened. I felt my heart leap out of my chest and I was so happy, knowing that everything was going to be okay. That same night, Aoife was cleared to eat without a feeding tube. It’s strange—it was more like she could feel that you were doing well, so she wanted to do well too.” Finn’s pressing his lips against Seth’s face while reaching out to wipe the stray tears that fall from the brown eyes. Finn feels this enormous weight of his shoulders—his ribcage feels more open and it’s like he can breathe again. He hasn’t been able to fully express his fear to Seth since before Aoife was born. The weeks since have been all about getting Seth to a better condition and getting Aoife to be comfortable in her new surroundings. Seth presses his lips back onto Finn’s, and he can feel himself relax into it. It’s been a long time coming—to have an honest conversation about that day. It was a subject matter that has been avoided for such a long time, and it only ate away at them both.

            “I know you keep telling me that it wasn’t my fault that Aoife was born early, but I can’t help but feel like it really was. I was the one who was supposed to keep her safe. I was the one who was supposed to let her develop a little further before coming into this world. I failed—and I almost lost her because of it. I almost lost you as well because of it. I almost lost my life because someone decided that carelessness was more important than the safety of everyone else. It’s been hard to look upon Aoife’s face and know that she was born too early. All I can think about now is the fact that you had to watch her for a week in a half be in an isolette, in the NICU, and not be able to hold her. For you to watch her breathing, to make sure that she still was breathing. Then you had to watch me just lie there, not moving for a week and a half, and hope that I opened my eyes at some point. I am so sorry for that, Finn. I put you through hell and back, and for that, I apologize. I wish I wasn’t helpless the first week that we brought Aoife home, and I wish, more than anything, that you wouldn’t have had to take care of us both at the same time. I am just so happy that those days are behind us, and that we made it out alive.” Seth’s face ends up hiding in the crook of Finn’s neck and shoulder. He can’t stand to face Finn right now, thinking that all he will see in the blue eyes is pure rage. He feels Finn’s fingers run through his hair before his arms feel weightless. Knowing that Finn has taken Aoife from his arms so that he could pull Seth closer makes him cry even more.

            “Seth, I want you to look at me—please.” He feels Finn’s body shift so that Finn’s front is face to face with the side of Seth’s body. Turning his body to face Finn, Seth still keeps his head down. Fingers reach over to pull Seth’s face up, and as he glances up to make eye contact with Finn, he can see that he is also in emotional pain. Finn shuffles closer to Seth, to the point in which knees of crossed legs are touching. Finn places Aoife on folded ankles—her head lying against Seth’s ankles and her feet lying against Finn’s.

            “Seth, look at her—we created her. She’s ours…she’s everything we ever hoped for. Aoife is our love for each other in human form, and I wouldn’t want to have a baby with anyone but you, Seth. She’s perfect, absolutely perfect. She fits just right in both of our arms, and she looks up at both of us with such wonder—our lives wouldn’t feel right if she wasn’t here. You went through hell and back for her, and you kept her safe that whole time. She’s completely fine, despite the circumstances that brought her into this world. I am so proud of you, Seth. Proud because you keep going—even if I know that your body hurts all of the time now, you just push through it. I can see that you want to get back in the ring, and I know that something that I want for you too. I just really want you to rest your body right now, and I know it’s been boring with just me around, but every day that I get to wake up next to you, I feel lucky. Every day that I get to kiss you and touch you, I know that it’s my privilege to do so. You and she are my everything, and I would let wrestling take a back seat if it means that I can keep you both.” Finn’s eyes stare right into Seth’s, and all Seth can feel is the unbridled affection and adoration Finn has.

            “Finn, I can’t say this enough, but to me, you are my everything. There is no me if there is no you. I am so happy that I get to even breathe the same air as you. That you even gave me the time of day in the first place amazes me, especially because it’s me. You took your time to see beyond the surface, and you took your time to understand me. I fell in love with you from the moment I saw you had been drafted to _RAW_. Then I fell more in love with you every day after, until one day, you said you felt the same. I am lucky that you were willing to give me Aoife in the first place—and then you stuck around for the hard parts. It’s never boring with you around…you actually make everything mean something. You care so much and so deeply for how I am feeling that I can’t help but tear up a little bit.” Seth’s holding back his tears while Finn reaches over to hold Seth’s hands. They give each other watery smiles before leaning into each other to kiss. There’s a whine and they both look down to see that Aoife’s staring back at both of them with a curious look in her eyes. Their expression of love gazes up at them with unconditional love that they both can feel their hearts skip a beat.


	6. I'm A Beast For Defeat So Let It Swallow Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of this part! Chapter title comes from Butcher Babies' 'Oceana'.

            Six weeks since the accident that changed his life. Weeks that he struggled through, and worse yet, he had to watch Finn drag himself through them while he couldn’t do anything to help. It killed Seth on the inside knowing that he was part of what he thought was a problem. Finn had already gone through this once—right after the ritual when Finn had to make sure that he wasn’t dying in pain. He never wished for Finn to go back to that—yet, six weeks ago, Finn was right back in the same position. This time though, he was taking care of both Seth and Aoife, and while Finn was more than happy to tend to both, Seth felt nothing but guilt. His guilt, although hidden very well from Finn, has eaten away at his self-image. Even after the bruising faded from deep purple-blue to a weird yellow-green, he still can’t stand to look at himself for too long in the mirror. No matter how many times Finn tells him that it wasn’t his fault, and there was no way for him to prevent it, he still feels as if his body failed. No matter how much _Cross Fit_ he did, or how healthy he ate, his body still couldn’t keep their daughter safe. The deep trench he finds himself in only got deeper as he found out how he almost died—how Aoife almost died. It drags him deeper in still when Finn tells him about what he went through that night, and how he was going to figure out how he could go on without either of them. It’s one of the many reasons of why he finds himself inside the master bathroom of his shared room, in his boxers, looking at himself head to toe. He sees old injuries and old scars all over his body, but he also sees fresh scars and fresh bruises. He also finally sees, in full color, the scars on his lower stomach—one on top of another.

            “How—how could he want this? I-I-I-I’m not worth anything, and he still wants to be with me? I don’t understand...I know that it was my fault that Aoife was born early, and it was my body that failed her. I’m this hideous monster whose friends can’t trust and whose husband is just with him out of pity. I bear the scars of a life not worth much, and my body is weak. I can’t do anything without help anymore, and my daughter…my poor daughter has me as a parent. Me—the self-righteous douche bag who lets anyone walk all over them because they can’t’ believe in themselves, and no one believes in but they all take advantage of. Then there’s Finn—the most wonderful person I’ve ever met in my life, and he falls for me. How can he find an attraction to—” As his fist is about to give a kiss to the full-length mirror in the master bathroom, he feels strong arms wrap around his waist. He is being pulled into something strong, and realizing that it’s Finn’s chest, he begins to break down.

            “Finn, let me go. I’m not worth anything to you. I don’t even know why you wanted to have a baby with me. I’m the worst person to be around, and I don’t think I would want our daughter around me. I’m an awful person who can only betray people. IT’S MY FAULT AOIFE ALMOST DIED! IT’S MY FAULT THAT I’M WEAK!” Trying to hit himself in order to create more bruising, his arms are held tightly against his torso. Finn is holding on, trying his best to calm Seth down enough so that talking is a possibility. One of Finn’s hands ends up on Seth’s head, while fingers entangle themselves in wet strands of hair. He uses his other hand to make Seth turn so that one of his ears is pressed against Finn’s chest. Seth curls into himself, not willing to look Finn in the eyes for the fear of perceived disappointment. Every single emotion that Seth has held down for the last six weeks is finally spilling over onto the surface. There is no redemption for him in his head, and that it’s better for Finn to leave with their daughter than for him to be in their lives. He’s never hated himself this much, and that’s saying something, considering the person he was before he met Finn. He has been feeling as if his world wasn’t real and that everything he’s gotten so far will leave the moment he opens his eyes.

            “Oh, my love, no, don’t say things like that. You mean so much more to me than anything else in the world. Wrestling can’t hold a candle to how much love I have for you. You’ve given me our daughter, who you sacrificed so much for. Yes, before we met we were both horrible people, who did horrible things, but we grew and learned. You’re not the same Seth from years ago, and I am definitely not the same Finn from years ago. You’re the best parent for Aoife, and she loves you, absolutely loves you. I can see it by just the way she looks at you in wonder. To her, you mean everything—and I can see that you love her even more. You’re not what you think you are, Seth. You are so selfless and caring, and you have so much more to give to the word, but you’re scared to. Your body is not weak, Seth—your body is stronger than you give it credit for. It holds your bigger –than- life heart behind your ribcage, and it helped in creating and growing Aoife. She wouldn’t be here without you. You did your best, and we never saw what would happen that day, and if it means that I remind you every day that it wasn’t your fault, then so be it. Your body went into shock, and yet, it also protected Aoife from the worst. You kept her safe for as long as you could, and for that, I admire you more than you know. You bear the scars of a life that’s been wild and insane, but you wouldn’t have had it any other way. I have never been with you out of pity—I’ve been with you because I fell in love. You smile and it makes me feel like I’m the only one you see, even if the room is full of people. The way your eyes light up after a match, and you run to me to hug me. The way you’ll wrap your pinkie around my pinkie when we walk side by side so that we could still be holding hands but not giving too much away. The way you hug me a little tighter right before we have a match against each other, telling me that no matter what happens in the match, at the end of the day, you’ll still wait for me. You mean so much more to people than you can see—Becky and Charlotte told me once that if it wasn’t for you, they would have never found the courage to be themselves around everyone else. When you told them about us, they felt this relief, and for the first time, they didn’t feel alone in the world. Seth, you are worth so much more than you give yourself acknowledgment for. C’mon, I want to show you something.” He can hear Finn choke back a sob before making him rise to his feet. Finn’s hand wraps around his wrist before he’s being lead back to their shared room. Throwing Seth a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, Seth can only guess that what Finn wants to show him involves him being at least somewhat decent. Once Seth is fully dressed, Finn leads him to the other end of the house, where Aoife’s nursery is. Quietly, Finn pushes open the door before leading Seth inside. Looking down into the crib, Aoife is sleeping soundly, and Seth can tell that’s she dreaming.

            “Because of you, we have her. Isn’t she perfect? Isn’t she worth something? You created her, and you loved her from the moment we knew about her. We wanted her so badly that you chose to use your body, sacrificing your own comfort so that the demon king himself could help us. You’ve been the one to tell me every day that it was worth it—that the scars on your stomach make you happy because she was the result.” Finn’s voice is soft and gentle while he whispers in Seth’s ear about their daughter. Seth can only nod as his eyes gaze down at their sleeping daughter, knowing that in his brain, he’s still something completely different than what Finn sees. Sensing this, Finn leads him out of the nursery and back to their room. There’s another full-length mirror attached to one of the walls of the room, and Finn leads him to stand in front of it. Finn places a kiss against Seth’s neck and then his ear, trying to at least calm Seth down before he can begin to speak. Finn’s hands lift the hem of Seth’s shirt before pushing down the waistband of Seth’s sweatpants, effectively exposing the scar on Seth’s stomach.

            “You tell me all the time that you’re proud of this scar. How can you be so proud of it, if you’re not proud of the body that has it? Seth, you’ve been telling me for the past six weeks that this scar is more of a badge of honor. It shows that your body did something amazing, but you don’t see that. Understand that your body, despite the fact that it hurts, pushed itself past its own limit. I amazed at you for that.” Finn’s hands are on either side of Seth’s hips, bringing attention to the scar. From what it used to look like, it’s not as bad as it once was. When Seth had finally healed up from the ritual, his scar was this mesh of dark brown skin, that looked like it had been melted together. There was really no stretch with it, and for a while, it was almost like a vice in the way that it had healed. The edges of the scar were long and narrow, but the middle is where most of the damage happened—one giant form of dark tissue connected the two ends. Now that six weeks have gone by and you can see where they had to do emergency surgery. There is a thin line right in the middle of the larger part of the original scar.

            “Dr. Crowne had no choice but to cut over the original scar, but now, this thin line of pink makes me that much prouder. It shows that your body—your body, Seth, did its best to keep our daughter safe. It did its best to provide for her, and it did its best when she started to grow. You were her home for a while, and she slept and turned under your heart, Seth. This guilt that you’ve let drag you down, please, let it go. For me and Aoife, let it go. It was never your fault. I would gladly take care of both of you all over again, and I wouldn’t care how much sleep I got. You both mean so much to me, that it hurts when you talk down to yourself. When you let your self-hatred take over your thoughts, it hurts. I can feel your pain, and I wish I could do so much more to help. Despite being in pain from what happened, you care so much more about myself and Aoife. Please, let me do the same for you.” While tears chase each other down Seth’s face, Finn’s lips are on the side of Seth’s face. Finn can feel his own tears wanting to start up, so instead, he decides to take Seth to their bed. Instructing Seth to lie down, Finn lies down next to him. He can’t help but look into brown eyes that held so much love for him. His thumbs go to wipe the trails off Seth’s face, and all Seth can do is give him a watery smile, knowing that emotions are taking over and there is no room to talk.

            “Babe, you and Aoife—the little, sweet girl who loves you—we need you here. We don’t want you to leave. We wouldn’t be better off without you…we would be lost if you weren’t here.” Finn presses his lips against Seth’s, his arms wrapping around shoulders to pull in the love of his life closer as a way to let him know how much he is really needed and to say that he’s there for Seth, even if he gets too into his own thoughts.  


End file.
